Cover for cans



Dec. 27, 1938. A. FoRsBl-:RG ET A. 2,141,351'

COVER FOR CANS Filed March 4, 1937 Patented Dec.l 27, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COVER FOR CANS Albin L. Forsberg, chicago, and William J. cham.-

bers, Oak Park, Ill., asslgnors to The Warfield Company, a corporation of Illinois Application March 4, 1937, serial No, 129,064

(ci. zal-c2) 5 Claims.

This invention relates to a cover for a can, and more particularly to improvements in a closure for a package adapted to contain condiments such as spices and similar substances designed to vprovide means for sifting or` sprinklingthe contents of the package therefrom or for removin g the contents with a spoon.

One feature of this invention is that it enables a spoon to be used to remove the contents of the package; another feature of this invention is that it provides an apertured closure for sifting or sprinkling the contents of the package therefrom; yet another feature is that means are provided forv entirely sealing the can to prevent spilling of the contents thereof; a further feature is that this invention is particularly adapted for packages having a Width less than that of the bowl of a spoon; a further object is to provide a closure which can be easily and cheaply made and which will not present production or manufacturing difculties; other features-and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following specification and the drawing, in whichz- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a can embodying this invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the can shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the can with the closure slide in sealing position; Fig. 4 is a top plan view with the closure slide in sifting position; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the slide alone; Fig. 6 is a sectional view along the line 6 6 of Fig. 3; Fig. '7 is a top plan View of a modified embodiment of this invention; and Fig. 8 is a sectional view along the line 8-8 oi. Fig. 7.

Itis sometimes desirable to insert a spoon through an opening in the top member of a spice` can, for example, in order to remove a level spoonful of the contents. The usual can or package for such condiments has'a width less than the width of the spoon, however, and it is therefore impossible to place an opening directly across the can of such a size as to accommodate a spoon. In order to place the opening lengthwise of the can top it would be necessary 'that the top be more than twice as long as the opening in order to enable a slide top to properly seal lt. Again standardA condiment packages have tops too short to permit this to. be done.

The present invention obviates these and other difilculties by providing an opening substantially the shape of a transverse section Vthrough ;he bowl of the spoon, the opening having an arcuate edge anda straight edge and being arranged diagonally with respect to the sides I the can. The provision of a' closure slide with a diagonal forward edge and sifting apertures arranged in a similar diagonal enables the opening to be selectively exposed, completely sealed, or to have `the apertures register therewith for sifting. r

The position of the opening in the top member of the c`an, and the general shape of the slide closure and location of the apertures therein are all important proportions, and their re- 10 lationship is critical if the advantages of this invention are to be obtained. The drawings of the two forms of the invention shown herewith are to scale, and may be considered preferred embodiments of the invention.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 6, a container or canI I0 of any suitable form or shape, here substantially rectilinear, is provided with a top member II having therethrough an elongated opening I2. This opening is longer than the width of 20 the can, and is arranged at a diagonal with respect to the two parallel sides I3 and I4. The horizontal or at portion of the top member has therearound upwardly extending portions IB', so that the top member is depressed a material distance beneath the upper edges of -the side walls of the body of the container I0. The edges of the top member, about the upwardly turned portions l5, are bent over and fastened to the top edges of the walls of the can to form a closure for one end thereof. 'I'his seal is here achieved by a channel member I6 bent down on the outside abo'utthe topl edges ofthe can walls and on the inside about the upwardly projecting portions of the top member, and crimped to seal the various parts together. Flange portions I'I on the inside of the sealing member I6 serve as projecting` guide members for a slide or closure I8 movably mounted between theseA anges and the horizontal portion of the top member II. 40

The opening I2 is elongated in shape, as

stated, and has` a straight edge and an arcuate edge, so that the opening is substantially the shape of a cross-section through the bowl of a spoon. 'Ihis shape enables the bowl of a spoon 45 I9 to be inserted therein, when the opening I2 is exposed to remove a spoonful of the contents of the can I0. This opening extends from sideto side of the can, and is positioned with its curved or arcuate edge toward the end of the top nearest 6o which the opening lies.

The slide or closure I 8 comprises two side edges 20 and- 2| adapted to be slidably splined between the flanges I'I andthe top member II for movement of the slide back and forth across thestop. f' ,l

An upwardly turned rolled portion 22 provides convenient'means for manually moving the slide. The forward edge of the slide has a diagonal portion 23 which is arranged with a slope similar to that of the straight edge of the opening I2, so that When the slide is in the position illustrated in Fig. 2, for example, exposing the opening l2, the forward edge 23 of the slide substantially coincides with the straight edge of the opening in the top member.4 The slide also has small apertures 24 therethrough adapted to have the contents of the can sifted therefrom when ,they are in registry with the opening I2. These openings 24 are also arranged diagonally with respect to the sides of the slide, with a slope similar to that of the straight edge of the opening', and they are removedv or spaced back from the forward edge of the slide a distance greater than the opening l2, so that when lthe slide is in the position shown in Fig. 3, for example, both the opening and the apertures are sealed and there is no way in which the contents of the package can be spilled therefrom.

. The slide is provided. with a small upwardly punched or stamped bump 25, adapted to cooperate with an upwardly stamped bump 26 in the top of the can, so that when the slide is moved to the position shown in Fig. 3 to seal the container, the two bumps register and tend to yieldingly lock the slide in position. It will. be noted that the edges of the opening I2, immediately adjacent the said opening, are stamped slightly upward to insure good ksealing contact between these edges and thedslide. The forward corner 21 of the diagonal edge 23 of the slide is so constructed as to insure the slide riding over the opening without catching in the edges thereof.

In the particular modification illustrated in Figs. 'l and 8, the top member 30 has its upwardly extending portions continued up and turned back over the upper edges of the side 'wallsI of the container 3|, as at 32, to seal the top member in place therein. The upwardly extending portions 33 have projecting members extending Ainwardly therefrom comprising small tongues 3l Ystamped out and bent in to a horizontal position parallel to the horizontal portion of the top member 30 but spaced therefrom suiliciently to :permit the slide 35 to be movably mounted therebetween. 'I'his construction eliminates the necessity of the additional sealing piece I6', and provides a simplified and cheaper construction.

While we have shown 'and Adescribed certain embodiments of our invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the `invention as disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is our intention to claim all novelty inherent in our invention as broadly as possible in View 'of theV prior art.

We claim:

1. A container of the character described, in-

cluding: a body; a top member secured at oneend of the body to close the same, said member having a pair of parallel sides and an elongated opening therethrough adapted to receive the bowl of a spoon, said opening being diagonally arranged with respect to said sides and having a length greater than the width of said member;

and an apertured closure slidably mounted on close the same, whereby said member is depressed a' material distance beneath the upper edges of the sidewalls of said body, said member having a 'pair of parallel sides and an elongated opening therethrough adapted to receive the bowl of 'a spoon, said opening being diagonally arranged with respect to said sides and having a length greater than the width of said member; projecting members on each side of said top member and slightly spaced therefrom; and an apertured closure slidably mounted between said top member and said projecting member and adapted to selectively close said opening or expose it to permitthe spoon to be inserted therein.

3. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 2, wherein said projecting members comprise Y' tongues stamped inwardly from the upwardly extending side portions of said top member.

` 4.' Apparatus of the characterv claimed in' claim 1, including means for yieldingly locking said slide in position closing said opening.

5. 'Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 42, including bumps on saidI slide and top member registering and yieldingly locking said slide in position when said opening is closed. I

ALBIN L. FORSBERG. WILLIAM J. CHAMBERS. 

